Sleningford Watermill C & C Park

At Sleningford Watermill there is a stone above the front door of the Millhouse on which the following verse, dated 1773, is inscribed:O you that bathe in Lordly blysseOr toil in fortunes giddy sphereDo not too rashly deem amyssOf him who bides contented hereWe try very hard to preserve this sentiment and hope that all our visitors bide contented here!Sleningford Watermill opened as a caravan and camping park in 1973, exactly 200 years since the lovely verse was inscribed over the Millhouse door.Many people return to us year after year because the Park’s natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere provide a haven for people wanting to ‘get away from it all’.The Park is situated on the A6108, 5 miles north of Ripon and 3 miles south of Masham between the villages of North Stainley and West Tanfield.At the end of a long driveway, the Park sits alongside the banks of the River Ure which is used by many of our visitors for canoeing, fly-fishing and just generally splashing about!The Watermill itself is no longer in use but provides a focal point for the Park which has touring pitches for caravans, motorhomes and tents set amongst 14 acres of mature riverside meadow in three distinct areas (The Riverside, The Millhouse Field and The Island).The careful management of the natural habitat of the Park encourages wild flowers, birds, insects and all manner of creatures to thrive here.Popular with families, couples, canoeists, anglers, walkers and nature lovers, the Park is an ideal base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors.Harrogate, York and Leeds with all the attractions they have to offer are within comfortable driving distances.Ripon has a good selection of shops, banks, restaurants, pubs and places of interest and the smaller market town of Masham also has various attractions (including two breweries!) and a small number of shops around an attractive market place.Lightwater Valley Theme Park is just a mile or so away and the villages of North Stainley and West Tanfield both have pubs which serve food and drink.There is a network of local footpaths around the area and the Ripon Rowel walk (a 50 mile circular walk) passes through the Park.We are a member of the Yorkshire Tourist Board and the Park’s awards include:David Bellamy Conservation Gold AwardAA Four PennantsDirectionsSleningford Watermill Caravan & Camping Park - Area & DirectionsVintage Ripon BusesSleningford Watermill FieldsSleningford Watermill CourtyardAreaThe Park is situated in the so-called “Golden Triangle” of things to do and places to see – an hour from the centre of York, 30 minutes from Harrogate and on the doorstep of the Yorkshire Dales and Moors. We have an Information Room on the Park with posters and leaflets from a wide variety of visitor attractions.DirectionsThe Park is situated on the A6108, 5 miles north of Ripon and 5 miles south of Masham between the villages of North Stainley and West Tanfield. The Park's postcode is HG4 3HQ.The entrance to the park is clearly signed onto a private driveway leading down into the Park.The nearest railways stations are at Harrogate (16 miles), Northallerton (19 miles) and Thirsk (16 miles). There is a regular bus service (No.36 operated by Harrogate & District - 01423 566061) between Leeds and Ripon via Harrogate and a bus service from Northallerton to Ripon via Thirsk (Nos. 70 & 170 operated by Proctors Coaches - 01677 425203).There is a rural bus service from Ripon to Richmond (No.159) which stops at North Stainley and West Tanfield. Further details of the 159 service can be found by contacting Dales & District on 01677 422371.We are also fortunate enough to have a vintage bus service which runs between Ripon and Hawes. It operates on Tuesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays throughout the season. The bus follows a circular route between Redmire and Hawes, running outward via Aysgarth Falls and returning via Askrigg. It also connects with Wensleydale Railway trains at Redmire Station. This service is operated by Chris Bulmer, Vintage Omnibus Services on 01765 635273.